scorpion

This is great!! I thought it was only free during the beta testing! One year later, and it is still FREE!! I did have to buy a special porcelain drill bit. Installation was faster than flushing a toilet!! I have lost a connection a few times, but that is more of a municipality problem then with Google! Installation manual: http://www.google.com/tisp/install.html FAQ: http://www.google.com/tisp/faq.html Press release April 1 2007 http://www.google.com/tisp/press.html If you have not tried it, then you have to get it. FREE INTERNET!

Camera: http://eclipsecctv.com/ECL-374.html ______________________________ Pan, Tilt, http://eclipsecctv.com/ECL-WSCAN_Pan_Tilt_Scanner.html ________________________________________________ Controller http://eclipsecctv.com/PTZ_dome_controllerECL-CN900.html _________________________________________________ Will this meet your expectations for smallest PTZ?

Look in this manual. Is this the one? http://www.lammensco-usa.com/cameraimport/entry/datasheet/manual dvr-2900.pdf You will have to cut, and paste the URL in to your browser. It is a big file give it a minute to load.

My mother in law had breast cancer, and then she had the leukemia, and then she passed away. It was a tough time for my wife at the time. My wife was having our first baby on top of all of that. Baby induced emotional situation compounded by her mother's sickness. Oh boy! If we can survive that, then our marriage can survive hell, and back with no problem!!!! Then her father ends up with Leukemia! Here we go again! He is done with the chemo, and he is back to normal. Do you know how I know he is just fine? He is the same grumpy old bastard that he was before!!! I say this affectionatly, and he would be the first to admit it, so I am not talking "bad" about him per se. I believe you will come out of this with flying colors! You seem like the tough cookie type!! Yes, it probably will get worse before it gets better! You are a trouper, and I know you will be doing great in short time!! If anything, give the doctors HELL!! LOL!!

No! No! If you thought I was riding you, I was not. I support your view 100% I put that post in there for the casual reader who reads this thread, and they are thinking about "getting in the business". It looks like I can make a killing in this business! These are the "installers" that give our industry a bad name, and a black eye! I just do not think that the average joe looking to break in to the business realize how much we pros invest in tools, dewalts, testers, and specialty tools! I am sorry if I came on to you that way! I just think it is funny to make a killing in this business, but yet I have to have all of these tools on hand! I do not need the tools per se, as with experience I can solve a lot of issues on my own. The tools isolate the problems much quicker saving me, or the customer time, and money. Again! My faux pax!

I find it amazing the stupid things that people do while driving! I support video on a car. On news footages, and shows that specialize in "the most shocking videos", I have seen vehicles that were in volved in an accident, but reviewing the video you see a car that comes from a different lane that causes that "too good to be true story"! I would hate to be in an accident where based on police view of the scene, their career experience, they say you are at fault when the reality of it is that it is the other persons fault, and it is your word against theirs! I cannot imagine where it would be useful, but I would love to get the video of the guy who is behind me, whips around me, then makes a right turn while I am locking up my brakes to avoid an accident. If I collide who is at fault with out witnesses? I say protect yourself at all times, or sell the "most shocking video" of someone else's accident to the news, and shocking shows!

Wow! This hobby can sure get expensive with all of these test tools! LOL!

Do you have a hand held monitor? What does the video look like coming off the camera? I do not know if the camera has a power problem, or if you have a video cable problem. Since I am not there on site, then I can only guess as to the cause. I would swap camera one with another like camera. I want to see if the problem travels, or if the problem stays, but camera one works fine on another location. If the video looks good at the camera, and bad at the head end then I would suspect a cable problem. Try replacing the connector. What kind of connector is it? 2 piece crimp on, twist on, or compression? If the video looks bad at the camera, then it could be power issues, or ground loop issues, or the power supply itself is causing the problem.

Now that is service!!

Mr Magoo you can get the CPCam CPD 505, or the AVTech AVC 785. http://www.avtech.com.tw/english/product_13_785.htm MPEG Frame: 720 x 480 pixels with 60 IPS (NTSC) MPEG CIF : 352 x 240 pixels with 240 IPS (NTSC) This should do what you are looking for. If it has to be 720X480 @30FPS Then it would be my suggestion for the ICRealtime Flex 8 with the R30 upgrade. (Notes on 505/785 from scorpion) EVENT RECORDING (triggered by motion and external alarm) : When this functions is activated, the recording is triggered by motion or external alarm. Here is a sample from the manual about splitting up the recording IPS with different record rates. (Rob Peter to pay Paul routine). What ever camera is picking up motion will "steal" IPS from other cameras that are not active so that the active camera records at 30IPS. (note that cameras 1,2,3, and 4 are in one group while 5,6,7,and 8 are in another group) GROUP: Every 4 channels will form a group. IPS per channel = RECORD IPS 4 number of channels under recording within the group. Ex.: If you set the record IPS as 120 IPS, then Channel 01 will get 30 IPS (120 / 4 / 1 = 30) Channel 05 and 06 each will get 15 IPS (120 / 4 / 2 = 15) “ “ means under recording NOTE: When users choose the image size as “CIFâ€

Does the AVC 781 record MPEG at Frame: 720×480 pixels with 30 IPS ?? No. It records at 7.5 per camera.

The 782 is version 1.1 The 782A is version 1.2 The 502 is version 1.1 The 502A is version 1.2 _____________________________________________________________ Models 1, 2, and 5 appear to record MPEG at FRAME. Models 3, and 4 appear to record MJPEG at FRAME. This is according to the CP501, CP502 Manual. _____________________________________________________________ The AVTech AVC 760, CPCam 560, and the Nubix 4BC is a model 3. This is the only one that cannot be backed up with a USB, it has to be backed up by the remote software. http://211.75.84.102/web/manu/760.pdf Model 3 does not have the USB feature. Models 1,2, 4, and 5 do. AVC 761, and the CPD 561 is a model 4 MJPEG at frame, MPEG4 at CIF, 1 audio in, with IR. http://211.75.84.102/web/manu/761.pdf AVC 781, CPD 501, and the Nubix 4LT is a model 2 MPEG at frame, MPEG4 at CIF, 2 audio in, no IR. http://211.75.84.102/web/manu/781.pdf AVC 782A, and the CPD 502 is a model 1 MPEG at frame. Model 1 is the only one with the CD back up, and it has 2 audio inputs. http://211.75.84.102/web/manu/782.pdf Model 5 does not have the power/data bus, but it has 2 audio inputs, CD back up, and it has IR.

I wanted to drop my two cents in on the subject. There are so many variables to recording audio in a moving vehicle. Moving down the road with window down, and you have lots of background noise. Same with window rolled up, you will then have lots of background noise that you were never aware of as your mind "tunes" out unwanted background noise. Quality of the microphone, and of the preamplification circuit to get it to line level of the DVR is going to make a big difference. For those other than Scruit, and Tsaba, those of you who are just doing this for giggles then any product will do, and any scrounged parts out of bins in your garage will do. If you need to get this up a notch for better audio recording then you will want to buy a really good microphone. Closer to the $100.00 price range is where you really need to be. You can purchase (new/used/borrowed) a radio shack mixer, or a small DJ mixer. If it had a built in mixer of some sort then this would help. Now you can manipulate the volume up, and down to get the right sound. You can cut down on the treble to get rid of the tinny sounds, such as horns, birds ect. You may even be able to get rid of some of the engine, or road noise by turning down the bass. For the next step you will need to install a mixer that cost more than $200.00 This will allow you to taylor every octave to get the right sound. In the mid range you can boost the sounds to better pull out human voices, while getting rid of other distracting noises. Here is a trick! Use a compressor (bands, and musicians know what I am talking about). A compressor will listen to the noise level, and when some new sound comes booming in, it will actually "turn down the volume" to match the preexisting sound. This is used in night clubs. When one CD/mp3 is ending, and another is getting ready to start the compressor will match the two sources. Some CDs are just louder than others, and others tend to be more quiet then regular sounding CDs. When the DJ grabs the mic the compressor will keep his voice from booming right off the bat, as he screams "do you guys want to party"!! There is also a built in mixer on DJ mixers that will lower the music level while a DJ is talking! If you watch football on TV then the anouncers quit talking for a second then all of a sudden you can hear the crowd in the stands. This is actually the compressor supressing the audio from the crowd mics while the anouncers are talking. When they stop talking long enough the compressor releases the crowd mics, and there is the crowd coming in loud, and clear! You really want to go for the gold?? Get a specialty micro phone. It is called a shotgun microphone. It looks for sounds coming from just one direction. Yep you guessed it. You have to point it at what you want to hear. Here is the difference between the cheap ones, and the expensive ones. The expensive ones actually have two microphones. The second microphone is listening to the background noises. There is a cancelation circuit that is listening to the background noises, and it actually takes the background sounds completely away!! All you hear is just the shotgun microphone. If you are just getting the police officer who is standing at your driver window then mount the mic out of the way then point it at the driver window. Recording sounds is very difficult. Those of you who have turned on a recorder in a busy cafeteria know what I mean. When you play it back you hear every knife scraping a plate, sounds of forks, metal, ceramic, sounds of sneezes, coughs, jibber jabber, and all of the conversations are buried on top of each other, and it sounds like one giant buzz. Recording birds in the woods is much easier then standing out side of my showroom with simple microphone on a major intersection. I record every horn beep, diesel 4x4 truck, semi tractors, ambulances with sirens, and the woosh of just the cars going by. I am never going to get a coversation in the parking lot across the street. The more you amplify, the more louder everything sounds. Now I can hear the coins ringing in my pocket, (yes it is that sensitive!). I will need a high end shotgun microphone to do this. Now buy some software that will allow you to manipulate the audio on a computer to clean it up some! Have fun! Good luck! Sorry for interupting this thread!

I cannot help you with Creston. I subcontract Crestron to a Company Called Tropical Video on Gus Hip Blvd in Rockledge Florida. http://tropicalvideosystems.com/index2.htm Earl, and Randy are the Owners 321 633-0873 Tell them Scorpion Audio, Video, and Security sent you. Most time you can save money on programming the Crestrons because they have so many templates allready to go that it is so much quicker to go through them to "get it done". RED FLAGS NONE! You need to be a certified Crestron Programmer. See what you can do in your local area to "team" up with a company that will allow you to attend the once, or twice a month training class on Crestron Programming. (For Others Reading this Post). All it is for is to control multiple devices through RS 232. All of the devices to be controlled must have an RS 232 "jack" on the product. If you "punch" movie on a controller then crestron products sequence the codes to get things done. Step one: Turn on Projector/TV/Monitor, Amplifier/receiver, DVD Player, and related equipment. Turn down lights, and Close Curtains/blinds, and other related equipment. Step two send codes to size Projector/TV/Monitor, set sound surround to movie setting on receiver/amp controller, set audio setting on DVD, Language, subtitle, and Pan and Scan, or Wide screen mode ect, and activate PLAY. There other ways to contol devices on a smaller scale, or on a budget other than Crestron. Crestron is the way to go for whole house contol of every product, for alarm panels, HVAC, TV, Receivers, Whole House Audio, Sat Receivers / Cable boxes, etc. You can control products with RS 232 with Xantech Products. They have IR to RS 232, RS 232 to IR, closed contact to IR, and other protocal device controls. You can program a computer to send out commands, and convert it to IR to control a rack of equipment. Pronto, Universal Remote Control, and others have "smart" remotes that can learn IR control. You can take the DVR's remote control, and "teach" the smart remote control the commands of the DVR, and then let the smart remote control other devices, and the DVR. You can have the remote control do a series of macros. You can program a page of the remote control just for the DVR by itself. If you want to interact with the DVR, go to the DVR Page, and press buttons.

I do not know what country, state, province where you are located. Most likely I would not have a recommendation. The reason you are having problems with someone at 20 to 30 feet is that you are outside the "range" of your camera. 3.6mm lens are designed for upclose viewing, but it allows you to "pull" in more of the peripheral vision. It is almost as if you are bowing the video to get the far left, and the far right. Someone at 20 feet are going to appear farther away in the video then in reality. This means their face is going to be less the 10 percent of the size of your monitor/TV screen. For facial recognition you will need the face to be at a minimum of 20 percent of the screen. Think of the talking head on the news programs on TV. If you are viewing at 20 to 30 feet then you have the wrong camera. 6mm is the starting point where you have no "distortion" that I mentioned. The drawback is that you lose the peripheral sides. The upside is that with a 6mm lens you gain the left, and the right view by backing the camera up to get the view, but then you may lose facial recognition. If you are viewing at more than 30 feet such as in a parking lot, then the ideal situation is to use two cameras. One camera with the wide angle lens (3.6mm or smaller number), and another camera with (I will guess) a 25mm lens for facial shots. You point the camera at a good "choke point" where you know that will walk in to line with your camera. The wide angle camera gives you details such as what cars did they approach, and break in to. You use the other camera to get the facial shot for police reports. You should have a camera set up at the exits points. The wide angle camera will give you what kind of vehicle was involved, and the exit camera should give you the license plate. The above is a fake scenerio as I do not know how you are using your cameras.

If 7.5 frames per second is not enough then ask for the R version of the FLex. The R-30 upgrade will give you 30 frames per second with D1 resolution. Do not look at the H.264 by itself. You can use H.264 in a crappy DVR, and you will still have a crappy DVR. There are to many factors that are installed in to a DVR to give you a recorded video. A very cheap DVR will be equivalent to an automobile going down the interstate/autobahn in first gear as fast as it possibly can! It will depend on the quality of the engine block, transmission, water pump, and the radiator as to how long it will last. Cheap DVRs need better fans, and heatsinks compared to a midgrade DVR with better/faster electronics. Cheap DVRs will have cheap video processors, and the chipsets will be very slow. They may have desktop grade hard drives. Desktop hard drives are not designed to operate 24/7. Mid grade DVR will have faster processors, better chipsets, and the electronics can talk to each other very rapidly. High grade DVRs will use military spec parts, extremely fast processors, and video chips, and they will have enterprise grade hard drives. The variables come with brand name, quantity built, and distribution. As to the problem that you are having: You may have a DVR that was built on a monday morning, or a friday evening, and it just may be a problem with that individual DVR. I am not familiar with your DVR, and I do not know the view, or the quality of your DVR. I am really surprised that you are having blockyness of video. I have rarely seen this event in present day. It was very common a few years ago. You would find this in a $250 DVR at the "club" warehouse. It was very blocky video due to it compression ratio. It was awful, but in the day a $250 DVR at retail was unheard of! The quality of the video was a trade off on the price. I did not like the DVR as it would not give a good video, and therefore a good defence attorney can scream at the jury about "beyond all reasonable doubt"!! I would say if you are in the market for a good DVR then go to a company that has a show room in your area. You may pay a little more than getting it off the internet, but then again when something goes wrong it is nice to have a company that you can call on for local tech support. Internet companies have earned a reputation of not taking care of their customers, and the companies on the intenet that do take care of their customers are growing in leaps, and bounds while the rip off artist, are going by the way side! The market is slowly shaking off its bad apples. Support your local dealer, and they will support you when you need them. Use their showroom, and see a live demo, of various products. Do you have to record at 704 X 480? If you change the setting down a little will it remove the blockiness? Some DVR will appear to be grainy with a higher resolution. They look good at a lower resolution, and this may be one of those DVRs. Sounds like I am not going to be much help to you!

There are many reasons why you are getting "blockiness". What kind of cameras, are you using? What kind of lens are you using, and who is the manufacture? What kind of wire are you using? Is there a lot of motion in your camera view? Here is a fake scenario, if you are recording a basketball game with them running back, and forth from side to side then this will create more "blockyness" then recording movement away, and towards the camera. Here is a DVR that I would recommend for great video quality with a great price tag for the product!! http://www.icrealtime.com/solutions/dvrpage.asp?productid=dvr808fx

I take it that you did not find it here? http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9891

The scart to bnc should give you the cable connection that you need. If you are having video problems then I do not know what the issue is. I would only guess that you have one device using PAL, and another device using NTSC, and therefore you are having video problems. Taking a SCART connector, and hooking up your own wires is not for the faint of heart. Good solder skills are also needed. I wish I could give you the solution to your problem!

I have no clue about the 782 / 782A difference. Model one is not even shown in the manual. It starts off with model 5, 2,3,and then 4. Model 1 and model 5 are the same. Model 1 does not have IR port(remote control), and 5 has the IR port. Model 1, and 3 are the same. The difference is the audio in/out. Models 2, and 4 are the same. Model 2 does not have the IR port, model 4 does have the IR port. The audio in/out is different between the two. Has anyone manually put in a drive? http://us.liteonit.com/us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=160&Itemid=67 http://us.liteonit.com/us/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=160&Itemid=67&limit=1&limitstart=2

The 782A is off the same PC board as the 781. The 781 has the same 500GB 60 days. (4CH, CIF Best Quality, 30IPS) The 781/782A PC board is completely different then the 760/761 PC Board. The manual covers the 781 as well. http://www.avtech.com.tw/english/product_13_781.htm

Is it possible to make your own break out cable? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scart

I do not have an answer for that question. I take it as a generic representation to cover all models to include any updated versions. I thought the manual covered the 760, 761, and the 782A? I like how my manuals have a picture of the DVR product, but it does not have the buttons drawn in!! Is there any difference between the AVTech manuals, and CPCam manuals??

Are these cooler rooms? 8 feet X 8 feet / 15' X 15', or is this an open warehouse that is refridgerated. The reason I ask is that you may be able to hide a camera in the HVAC unit inside of the walk in. You can also hide it in an "electrical box" as those are common in walk ins. If it is an open warehouse then putting a camera at the highest ceiling height, and using a zoom lens to get back down on the subject area would give you the "covert" set up without it being seen, and you can get the video shot that you need. You can shoot the camera across the warehouse to the opposite side. Do you have columns that may be an issue, or other hanging chains ect? What do you think so far?

How dark is your club/bar? I saw the camera that you say you are going to use. I noticed that it had a dark "smoke" colored lens. If it is dark in your club/bar then this may make your video worse, as the tinted glass will act like a pair of sunglasses in the dark. I am not recommending a camera, but something more of this design may help if it has to be vandal proof. http://avssys.net/?s=product&sub=camera&cat=ir&p=vnd49ir I would not be so worried about someone stealing the computer per se as I would be more scared of an employee unplugging / turning it off, or disconnecting a cable so that they may pilfer / steal / rob you blind. I would say a metal lock box would be more of an idea. I have used some one inch by one inch mini cameras for non "threat" areas such as pool tables, table/chair areas, dart board areas ect. These are B/W, and they are inexpensive allowing me to spend more money for the front door, back door, ATM machine, office/cash count area, and the parking lot. http://eclipsecctv.com/ECL-374.html Believe it or not all I need is some pool table lights, rope lighting, and some beer neon, and I can get these cameras to work in a fairly dark club/bar! Believe it, or not! I would spend $1000 on the camera for the backdoor, front door, and the area of the office door, and the ATM machine. I would use the camera that I gave you the link for above for more important areas other than pool tables, dart board area ect. This balances my budget, and gets me the video that I need. You will soon find that 4 cameras are not going to cut it. Front door, back door, office door area, PIR covert in the office, smoke detector above each cash register, and a PIR in the liquor storage area, (unless the liquor is stored in the office). That 6, or 7 with out even trying! You will soon need a minimum of 9 cameras, or perhaps 16 for a lot of views. I use a lot of AVTech/CPCam/Nubix style DVRs for low budget jobs. I think your system should do you good. It sounds like you are doing a good job putting your product selection together.